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does anybody know what could be wrong with Megan????????

Hi all,

Just wondered whether you could offer any advice?? My four year old ruby megan has tonight at about 9 o'clock starting licking and stuff at her back end,she would'nt let me anywhere near her to look but i have managed to get to see for a very brief moment,she appears to have a large 'ball' which is hard and think there may be something black on the swelling,all her back end is wet as she has been licking so much and she is agitated and panting,she is at the moment fast asleep and more settled,will be calling the vets first thing,could it be anal glands??????

Probably nothing you can really do now but get her to the vets first thing in the morning. Almost certainly an abscessed anal gland and these can be very painful. Try not to let her drag herself to pop it -- which will be very smelly and can create infection. The vets will probably have to lance and drain it, clean it up and prescribe some antibiotics and painkillers. If they burst they are very painful for them. If it is as large as this then antibiotics likely will not help get rid of the abscess; it will need to be done by the vets.

If it weren't late at night you could try some hot compresses (not extremely hot but same as you can tolerate) to the area to see if you can get it to open and drain) but at this stage better to let her sleep and then deal with it at the vet in the morning.

I don't know how much it would be but it wasn't that much when Leo had his dealt with but this was mainly for the afterwards bit of cleaning up a ruptured gland -- mainly I was paying for the meds! The second time he had one it was close to bursting and I tried hot compresses and it still didn't open -- he went in for a dental so they popped it then while he was sedated and it came back all drained... the first time I think some went on insurance (the excess but it wasn't a huge amount).

yes this one looks like its ready to burst it looks like a large black spot that is about to burst, i think the other side may be affected aswell as i could feel lumps on both side but one side is worse with this black spot.

Will they sedate Meg to lance and drain??????
My four girls are 4yrs, 3.5years 3.5years and 8months this is the first case of anal gland problems we've had so don't know what to expect.

Our vets are excellent but it does come at a price as they are really expensive.She is on the cover for life plan with petplan so thats good to know if we need it.

Hmmm don't really know what they will do. The black spot is probably some trapped anal gland fluid . With 5, I've only ever had anal gland problems twice with Leo and that is over 7 years, so not too bad.

I'm sorry Megan (and you) are going through this. It sounds exactly like what happened with Holly about a year ago. I noticed the problem in the morning, so took her into the vet's immediately. They opened the abcess, gave antibiotics, etc. Yes, they did sedate Holly for this. I was able to pick her up in the early evening -- same day as the procedure was done. The cost was around $200-$250, which included fluids given during surgery.

Holly recovered very quickly from the ordeal. She felt significantly better the next morning and we've had no trouble since. Good luck and I'll be thinking of Megan!

Megan has been to the "doggy doctors"as we call it in our house!!!
It is indeed a abcessed anal gland and a bit of a mess at that ,she would'nt let the vet anywhere near it and it was decided that it was too sore to go poking around so she is now at home with her mummy and her three sisters with painkillers that she starts tomorrow as she has had a injection today and a course of antibiotics,Megan has to go back on friday and hopefully will be more tolerent of an examination and then we will take it from there.

We love you Megan,get well soon my precious princess,love from mum and dad